In today’s first reading from Ezekiel 28 we read about the prince of Tyre. This guy thought he was all that (and a bag of chips, we can assume.) He fancied himself a god. So the Lord God challenges him. He would meet a very nasty end. This is a pertinent story for those times when we may get a little too big for our breeches.
In our Gospel reading from Matthew 19, we hear the conversation between Jesus and the disciples in the aftermath of the rich young man encounter. Peter asks the question about everybody’s favorite radio station: WII FM…What’s In It For Me? Jesus assures him that the rewards will be great. “Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.”
Following Jesus is really a big-picture deal. It’s not as though everything is going to be rosy and swell just because we call ourselves Christians. And when Jesus talks about receiving “a hundred times more,” it’s not like if we put a dollar in the basket at church we’ll get back a hundred dollars. But we are talking life or death. Eternal life seems like a pretty good deal. But it’s not like investing on earth. No need to diversify your portfolio. Here you must put all your eggs into one basket: Jesus.
Father, help us to invest in eternity today. Help us to put all we have into Christ alone. Amen.
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